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Monday, May 31

Do any of those describe how you are feeling? Has your bucket of joy, peace, and faith been drained and now you’re looking for an answer, a refill? You say to yourself, “What’s missing?”

So, you begin to search for that elusive “something” to fill up your bucket. You decide to go on vacation in search of “it.” Maybe “it” is in the soothing sands of the beach, with the ocean’s gentle waves lapping at the shore. But the remedy doesn’t work. When you return home, all the vacation drains out of your bucket. You’re still empty. “It” was not in the vacation.

Next, you buy a new car, thinking “it” will pump up your ego. But that does not fill your void. Your bucket is still empty. “It” was not in the car.

You purchase a new house to inflate your pride, but the house just cost you more money and didn’t fill your bucket. “It” was not in the house.

You go after a higher paying job because you need more money. You think the power of your new job will appease your empty bucket. But now, you work late every night to pay off the car and the house you couldn’t afford, which only causes more problems in your marriage. Your bucket remains empty. Work was not “it.”

So, you begin to bar hop. All the drinks do not contain “it” until you meet a lovely young thing or a handsome young hunk. That pumps you up libido, for a while. But all the air escapes from your balloon one night when you come home from your tryst and find that all your family has moved out. Then, the words of the old song hit you in the face, “Looking for love in all the wrong places.” And your bucket seems even emptier. An affair was not “it.”

So, you find yourself upon your bed, in tears wondering where it all began, where you went wrong. Reaching back into your memory box, you pull out the memory of you on your knees beside your bed, saying your prayers.

You slide off the bed and onto the floor, with knees popping and creaking from years of not bending. You bow your head and begin to sob as you seek the One True Answer, Jesus. The One you have so long ignored. The One you have been searching for and didn’t even know it. The One Who loves you more than anything, enough to die for you.

You pour out your heart to Him. He comes and kneels beside you, wrapping His loving arm around your heaving shoulders and whispers in your ear, “What you needed was not to be found in your vacation, nor in your new car or new house, or all the other things you used as a substitute, for what you needed was My Love.

“I’ve been here all along, kneeling by your bedside, night after night, waiting for you to kneel and find Me once again. Now, you’ve recognized your need.

“Let’s get rid of all that stands in the way between us, separating us from that special companionship you so desperately need and I so desire to have with you. You have found your Answer. “It” is Me, the Lover of your soul. I am your dwelling place. Leave My side never again.”

You fall at His feet in praise and say as David did, “You have shown me the way of life, and You will fill me with the joy of Your presence.” (Acts 2:28 NLT)

Whatever you have been through or are going through right now, I pray that your bucket be filled and runneth over with faith, hope, joy, and love in Jesus.

Powerful graphic for a great post, Lynn. Most of us are so busy trying to fill up our "bucket list" with new experiences, and we don't even realize the bucket we have is full of holes. Made a heart check. Thanks for the reminder.

Wonderful post, Lynn. Gracee's school is a "bucket-filling" school. You poke holes in someone's bucket or empty their bucket with unkind words or actions, but you fill someone's bucket with kind words and actions.

It has to start with emptiness, at least for most of us. That's where it started for me -- filling myself up with all kinds of goals that, once achieved, left me more empty than before. Good post, Lynn.

It always amazes me how we can spend so much money, travel, and "search" for happiness, when if we just stop. and look around us, we can fill this emptiness.

I have a friend that is having marriage problems and instead of staying home and working on his marriage, he continually is whisking her off to Hawaii and special trips, hoping that somehow this will patch their marriage up. I have told him time and time again that he could do much better if he'd just go take a walk with her in the local park or help her in her garden some evening.

I live in a pretty affluent area. I often think rich people are the hardest to reach because they can afford so many substitutes for God; so many false idols. Sadly, some of the most miserable people I've ever known have also been those who are never in want of material things. I think they need God so much, it's just hard to help them see that.

Such a great description of what happens all too often in life. We look for something to fill us with what we think we need, when our soul's deep need can only be satisfied by God! Thank you for another inspiring, beautiful post, Lynn!

About Lynn...

Through many hardships, trials, and health issues, I have learned to depend entirely on the Lord for everything. After being diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2000, the Lord whispered to my heart to write for Him. So, now, out of a great passion to reach others, I obey His call.